1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for recognizing handwritten characters which are input in real time and for displaying the result of the recognition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, there has been a system for recognizing handwritten characters which accepts input handwritten character information as one character unit when handwritten character information is input. For example, in coordinate input devices such as a resistance film digitizer, character recognition is initiated upon activation of the recognition switch.
In the prior art, there has been a system which performs an input/recognition/display operation repeatedly for each character. That is, the system performs recognition for one character of handwritten character information when the system recognizes that one character of handwritten character information is input and then displays the result of the recognition.
However, the above-described prior art must be instructed as to when to initiate recognition of input handwritten characters, and this instruction is given by operating a switch each time a handwritten character is input. Thus, the inputting of character information is frequently stopped, thereby decreasing efficiency.
In addition, in the above-described prior art, since trace information formed of coordinate data of input handwritten characters is displayed, the data of one input character is recognized when it is recognized that the inputting of one character of this handwritten character is finished, and the character pattern of the character obtained as a result of the recognition is changed to the input handwritten character data and displayed, inputting of handwritten characters is stopped because the display is changed frequently, which is inconvenient.